Kept or Unkept
by Teddy R. Lupin
Summary: "I wish I could say I'll always be there for you, but...somehow I get the feeling that may not be a promise I can keep."  Clark/Chloe friendship, Clark/Oliver friendship, Clois, Chlollie.  Not even Clark can keep the world from spinning its course.


So...I know prompts usually come from LiveJournal and stuff, but since I don't have one of those, I was given a prompt, sort of by my friend and sort of by myself.

I'd been searching for this one quote for months, and not even Google helped me find it. And then I posted it on Facebook, and within the next few hours, my friend had an answer for me. And he found it using Google. Wow is right.

Anyway...I've wanted to write this type of story, so I hope that it's even remotely good.

I wasn't sure what characters to put it under, so sorry if it was misleading.

This is actually based on 2 quotes. One by Chloe in Season 4, Episode: Escape, and the other by Rokk Krinn (I think I spelled it right) in Season 8, Episode: Legion. The latter quote is "Maybe Chloe's death is what inspired him to take flight in the first place." The former is written below.

Prompt: "I wish I could say I'll always be there for you, but somehow I get the feeling that may not be a promise I can keep." Chloe and Clark friendship.

-SMALLVILLE-

_I wish I could say I'll always be there for you, but somehow I get the feeling that may not be a promise I can keep._

The sickening feeling in my chest deepened as I remembered the words that she had said to me back in high school. But I knew that hadn't been what she meant. She had been talking about her mother's hereditary mental illness…and her fears. Chloe Sullivan was not meant to die.

"Clark," said a voice I knew so well. I barely noticed the door opening, too focused on the motionless body that was my best friend. I willed myself to turn and face the man who I knew she had loved.

"Oliver," I said, unsure. "I'm sorry." He nodded, a few tears leaking from his brown eyes. He looked down to wipe them away, stepping away from me. "I should have-"

"Look, Clark," he said, his voice suddenly strong…and almost…angry. "There's nothing you could've done. This was beyond…this was beyond anything that any of us could do."

And I knew that, of course. In his arms, Oliver was holding a bundle wrapped in a blue blanket…Chloe's last sacrifice. I had nothing more to tell the Green Arrow…there was only so much comfort a person can give…even if you're grieving yourself.

"We were supposed to do this together," Oliver muttered, holding the bundle close to his thin, shaking body. "I can't…can't do this by myself."

I took another look at the still body that had been carefully placed on the cold, steel table. Part of me…wanted to believe that this was all fake…Chloe was still alive…waiting for all of us back at Watchtower…waiting for her family. But she wasn't. Oliver knew as well as I did…Watchtower had to be moved. Our base…though magnificent…held too many memories for all of us.

"You're his only family, Oliver," I said quietly. "Chloe's death is hard on all of us…I know that. But…you need to be the father that Connor deserves." He looked up, his eyes despairing.

"How do you expect me to do that, Clark?" he asked. "I can barely think straight…half the time, I feel like I want to walk in there and be with her…until I realize that she wouldn't be able to hear me…she wouldn't be able to see our son." I looked down at the newborn, whose eyes were wide, curious, and innocent. He had a full head of blond hair that everyone knew he would inherit from both his parents.

A tear slid down my cheek, but I made no move to wipe it away. I turned away from Oliver…from his son. There was nothing I could do to relieve the pain of losing a spouse…a parent.

Chloe had such high hopes for her son…for her family. She had wanted to be there for him every step of the way. She had such dedication to…everything.

I only looked up when I heard a sniffle from the other side of the waiting room. A woman with brown hair, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, unwrapped her hands from her knees as she heard me approach.

She stood up and walked into my arms. I held her frail, shaking figure against my chest, whispering any words of comfort I could offer.

"It's just not fair," Lois said, her voice weak…but determined…strong…as it always was. "This was supposed to be her proudest moment." She looked up at me, almost expecting me to turn back time and save her.

And I would have…except for that there is only so much that I can do. Sometimes…like Oliver had told me…there isn't anything that can be done. Things happen…and that's life.

It doesn't mean we have to like it.

"I know," I whispered into her ear, holding her tightly as my jacket dampened with her tears. "I wish more than anything that she was still here with us."

"Isn't there anything…with all your amazing gifts…that you can do?"

I looked away, ashamed. I should've known that the inevitable question was coming. "No." She slowly released herself from my arms…stepped away.

Lois simply stared at me. Her silence spoke volumes…it meant more than anything she had ever said. I had let her down. The Blur, once Red and Blue, had finally not been able to save her. I'd promised myself that I'd never let my friends get hurt. But Chloe…

I turned away and walked down the hall. Even though I felt a hand grabbing hold of my arm, I ignored it and continued to walk.

"Clark!"

"No, Lois," I whispered. I knew she wouldn't hear…and even if she did…she wouldn't understand.

"Clark!"

I stepped into the elevator, my eyes closed. Finding it increasingly hard to keep tears from falling from my blue eyes, I gave up and let them out. The elevator beeped to let me know that it had reached the lobby floor, and like a good human, however inhuman I was, I stepped out.

I approached the automatic doors, waited almost a second too long for them to open, and then breathed in a large gulp of fresh air. Staring into the distance, I felt tears begin to crawl down my cheeks again.

_Chloe, you were supposed to stay with me. You were supposed to know me like no one else. You were always the one to comfort me…to understand me in ways that nobody else ever could. But you're gone. And you were right. You couldn't keep a promise forever…humans fall prey to far too much._

"But that's what makes you human," I whispered aloud. "Isn't it, Chloe?"

I received no response except the wind blowing through my dark hair. I closed my eyes again and just…listened. The crickets chirped in the cool night…the breeze gracing the trees. Owls hooted from miles away. I heard the sounds of babies crying, of a man on the phone, of keyboards clacking…all the normal sounds of city life.

But it all sounded…so…alien. How could normal life go on…when someone so good…had died? How could people just be…people…when Chloe was gone?

She may not have been able to be there forever…no human ever can…but she was there until the very end. And sometimes, that's all you can ever ask.

Maybe comic book writers do know what real heroes go through. Wasn't it Warrior Angel that said, "If you're destined to be a hero, you're destined to be alone"?

I looked up into the sky, the deep, seemingly endless illusion of the stars, and breathed in heavily. I bent my head, and slightly crouched down. The wind blew through my hair again…and then everything seemed to slow.

Within a millisecond, I had jumped…jumped…and hadn't come down. My arms spread in front of me…and I was free.

I had finally done it. I had passed the final obstacle…the one that never seemed to be there for me when I needed it.

I shot through the sky…that amazing feeling of freedom almost covering my grief. Almost.

_I did it, Chloe_, I thought, almost smiling at what her response would have been. _I can fly now. And I think…you helped. You gave everything. I know I'll never be able to repay you for your friendship. I never even…said thank you. Did I?_

And I think…I almost heard her voice in my head, whispering, "And you'll never have to."

-SMALLVILLE-

How was it? Yes. I know I stole some quotes from various TV shows and films, so I'm sorry if that's bothersome. :O

And in case you didn't get it, Chloe died in childbirth. I thought it would be interesting for someone who is in danger almost all the time because of the Watchtower to die for a reason that not even Clark could prevent.

Remember to review, whether you liked it or not. (I know there isn't much depth, because I'm not that type of person. Other flames are accepted, though.)

William D. J. Watson


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